Ditching-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. s. M. STEWART.

- DITGHING MACHINE. No. 331,217. Patented Nov. 24, 1885.

X ttor (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. M. STEWART.

DITGHING MACHINE.

I mw oo 8 2 W N d 9 n e S .t a P W Z L n v n 5 n WITNESSES .dttqrneys NVPETERS, Phomumo n mr, Wanhinginn. n. c.

PATENT trier...

SAMUEL M. STEWART, OF MOOOMB, OHIO.

DITCHING- MACHINE.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,217, dated November24, 1885.

Application filed July 30, 1885. Serial No. 173,019. (No model.) i

V ,To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, SAMUEL M. STEWART, I a citizen of the United States,and a resident I of McOomb, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the 111- vention,which willenable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,which forma part of this specification, andin which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im- 1 provedditching-machine. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a topview. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the lineas w in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a front view, and Fig. 6 is a transversevertical 2o sectional View taken on the line y y in Fig. 2. The sameletters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to ditching-machines; and it has for its objectto provide a device of 2 5 this class which shall possess superioradvantages in the points of simplicity, durability, inexpensiveness, andgeneral efficiency.

With these ends in view it consists in the improved construction andarrangement of 0 parts,which willbe hereinafter fully described,and'particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A designates a suitably constructedrectangular frame, which is provided at its frontend with 3 5downwardly-extending brackets B 13, supporting a crank shaft or rod, 0,on which are journaled a series of revolving colters or cutters, D D,which, owing to the construction of the said shaft or supporting-rod,are located for- 0 ward of one another, as will be plainly seen in thedrawings. These colters or cutters serve in practice to cut the furrowsand to loosen the slices which are to be displaced by theditching-machine proper, as will be presently more fully described.

The sides of the frame are provided with bearings for a pair oftransverse shafts, E E, on which are journaled the wheels F F, the

rims of which consist of inner and outer con-- centric flanges, G and H,connected at their in- 5c ner edges by an annular bottom or ring, I, andconnected with the hub J by means of spokes K in the usual manner. Thewheels F F are so arranged with relation to each other that the outer oropen side of the front wheel shall bear against the inner or closed.side of the rear wheel, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 3 of thedrawings, the rim or periphery of each Wheel reaching nearly to the axleof the other. Arranged against the open sides of the two wheels, in rearof the respective axles, are the covering-plates L L, which areconnected to and supported by the main frame of the ma chine by means ofbrackets or in any other suitable manner, and which terminate at theirlower ends in the forwardly-extending scoops or cutters M M, the outerrims of which, N, are curved in an outward and forward direction, asshown, and which serve to out under the soil and to remove a slice,which, as the machine progresses, is forced or conveyed by the rim orflange N into the space O in the rim of the wheel. The free ends of thescoops or cutters are to be connected to the main frame of the machineby means of suitable braces, P P, whereby sufficient strength andrigidity shall be insured. The inner rims or flanges, H, of the wheelsFare provided with transverse perforations Q Q,to receive or admit ofthe passage of a series of cutters, R R, which are mounted upon the freeends of springs S S, that are suitably attached to the said innerflanges, as shown. Secured to the inner edge of each of thecovering-plates L by means of brackets T T is a curved guide-plate orcamplate, U, which, as the wheels revolve, will press against thesprings S S, and thus gradually force the cutters R B into the spaces 0in the rims of the wheels. When the camplates U have been passed, thesprings S will serve to retract the cutters R It from the space 0.

V V designate the dischargec'hutes, which are suitably secured to theframe of the machine, and provided with curved tongues or scrapers W,extending into the spaces 0, and bearing against the bottoms I of thelatter.

The forward end of the machine is supportwheel, E, swiveled upon thelower end of a' stem, F, which is also vertically adjustable by means ofa suitable lever, G, which may also be retained in any position to whichit may be adjusted by means of asuitable catch, H. The hubs J J of thewheels F F are pro vided with chain-wheels I I, connected by a chain, J,by means of which motion may be communicated from one wheel to theother, in case only one of them should be in contact with the ground.

The frame of the machine carries a suitable seat, K, for the driver, andit is also provided with suitable means for the attachment of the draft.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will bereadily understood. The front supporting-wheels will run upon the sidesor embankments of the ditch, and the caster-wheel at the rear end willrun in the ditch, the front end of the frame being properly adjusted tomake a cut of the desired depth. The colt ers or revolving cutters atthe front end of the frame will mark the sides of two slices, which areundercut by the scoops or cutters M M, which latter serve to force thesaid slices into the spaces 0 of the wheels F F, which latter meanwhilerevolveby contact'of one or both of them with the ground. Thefurrowslices are thus elevated by means of the said wheels F F, and thecutters R R serve to cut the said slices-into smaller sections, whichwill more readily slip out of the spaces 0 when the discharge-chutes arereached. The cutters R It have the additional function of assisting toretain and elevate the dirt in the rims of the wheels F F. The generalconstruction is simple and inexpensive, as well as compact and durable.

I would haveit understood that in the manufacture of this machine I donotlimit myself to. the precise construction and arrangement of partsherein set forth, but reserve to myself the right to all modificationswhich may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention,I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- 1. In a ditching-machine, thecombination of the frame, a crank shaft or rod suitably arranged andsupported at the front end of the latter, and a series of colters orrevolving cutters mounted upon the said rod on shaft, substantially asand for the purpose herein set forth.

2. In a ditching-machine, the combination of the frame, a series ofcolters or revolving cutters at the front end of the same, thedirtelevating wheels, the rims of which are formed of inner and outerannular flanges connected by annular rings, the covering-plates coveringthe rear portions of the spaces thus formed, and terminating at theirlower ends in the forwardly-extending scoops or undercutters, and thedischarge-spouts, all arranged and operating substantially as and forthe purpose herein set forth.

3. In a ditching-machine, the combination of the dirt-elevating wheels,the coveringplates covering the rear parts of the openings or annularspaces in the same, and terminating at their lower ends in theforwardly-extending scoops or undercutters having curved outer flanges,the discharge-spouts having curved tongues or extensions scraping thebottoms of the annular spaces in the elevatingwheels, the revolvingcutters at the front end. of the frame, and chain-wheels mounted uponthe hubs of the elevating-wheels and connected by a suit-able drivechain, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4.. In a ditching-machine, the combination of the dirt-elevating wheelsconsisting of inner and outer concentric flanges connected by annularrings so as to form annular spaces, the inner flanges being providedwith transverse slot-s or openings, the plates or cutters, arranged toslide in the said slots, and the supporting-springs carrying the saidplatesor cutters at their free ends, said supportingsprings beingattached to the said inner flanges of the elevating-wheels,substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the frame, of therevolving dirt-elevating wheels having annular spaces, as described, andprovided with transverse slots or openings in their inner sides, theguard-platessecured to the frame by means of brackets and bearingagainst the open spacesof the rear portionsof the said wheels, andterminating at their lower ends in the forwardly-extending scoops orundercutters, the guide-plates or cam-plates secured to the inner edgesof the said brackets, and the plates or cutters arranged to slide in theslots in the inner sides of the wheels and mounted upon thefree endsofsprings which are attached to the. inner sides of said wheels,substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

6. In a ditching-machine, the combination of the'frame, the adjustablesupporting-wheels.

at the front end of the latter, the verticallyadjustable caster at therear endof theframe, the dirt elevating wheels having annular spaces,-the reciprocating plates or cutters mounted upon springs, as described,the guardplates or covering-plates terminating in the scoops or cuttersand having the cam-plates secured thereto, the discharge-spouts, thechain-wheels upon the hubs of the elevatingwheels, the chain connectingthe said wheels, and the revolving cutters or colters at the front endof the frame, all arranged and operating substantially as and for thepurpose herein set forth.

SAMUEL M. STEWART.

Witnesses:

IDA D. MOHENRY, A. J. SMITH.

